Lasting-machine



(No Model). l T.- o-BoLGBR- LASTING MACHINE.

No. 511,906. PatentedJan. z, 1894` 13g/ v 557.3..

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* UNITE Sterns ernst Orrrcn THOMAS OBOLGER, OF ROCHESTER, NEIV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES M. LORING, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

L AsTiNe-MACHINE- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 511,906, dated January 2, 1894. Application filed November 19, 1890. Serial No. 3711934- (NO HIOGL) To all wwm/ it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS OBOLGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lasting-Machines, of

' which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lasting machines and has reference more particularly to the jaws employed to fold the edges of the upper over on the sole upon the bottom of the last.

The invention is' designed primarily as an improvement upon the device represented in Letters Patent No. 391,467, granted October 23, 1888, to H. A. Gray.

In the jaws to which my invention appertains there is a series of blades or fingers which are adapted to yield so as to conform themselves to the bottom of the last, the curvature of which varies not only according to the size of the shoe, but also to the style of last employed. As these fingers or blades are designed to press the upturned edges of the upper down upon the insole and to hold them there with sufficient pressure to insure the adhesion of the cement, it will be seen that great care must be exercised in adjusting the fingers to conform to the curvature of the bottom of the last. This has been provided for by the use of a former adapted to bear upon the backs of the fingers or blades as in the patent to Gray above referred to,- the variations in the curvature of the last being compensated for by varying the contour of the active or removable part of the said former. In using these rigid' formers it was necessary to have one set of two for each style of shoe lasted, and sometimes one set for a left and one for a right was necessary, thereby rendering it essential in lasting ten or fifteen dierent styles of shoes to have from ten to thirty sets of formers for each machine, which in practice is found to ma; terially increase the,cost of the jaws. Furthermore it was found necessary in using these formers to change them when lasting rights and iefts, and also to change them when the style of shoe lasted was changed. To overcome these objections I provide the back former bar with an elastic or yielding acting face that will allow the fingers to adapt themselves to the slight variations in the sizes and shapes of the lasts, one former being found sufficient for all shapes or styles of shoes of approximately the same shape, and also for both rights and lefts.

In the drawings annexed-Figure l is an edge view of a lasting machine jaw provided with my improved former; Figs. 2 and 3, similar views showing modifications in the construction of the elastic or yielding bearing face; Fig. 4, a plan view of the jaw and former; and Fig. 5, a horizontal sectional view, on the line of Figs. l, 2, 3 and 4.

A represents the stock or body of the jaw which will be applied to the machine in any usual and ordinary manner, it being customary to employ such jaws in pairs, one to act at the left and the other at the right hand side of the last. The construction being the same for each and regardless of the manner in which the jaws are mounted or actuated, the following description will be confined to the one jaw illustrated though applicable to both.

B indicates a series of yielding fingers or blades which, when the jaw is in use, act upon the edge of the upper and fold it over upon the sole or insole upon the last according to the class of work being performed. These blades or fingers are hinged so that they may rise and fall at their inner ends, but instead of hinging them to the stock or body A as in the patent above referred to, they may be made sufficiently elastic to yield to pressure properly applied. Beneath each blade or finger B is a spring C, which springs are employed when the blades are hinged to hold them normally at the highest elevation.

D indicates a bar one end of which is pivotally attached to the stock and the other end of which is furnished with a fastening device by which it may be firmly locked to the stock A so as to maintain the bar in fixed relation to the latter.

The bar D is provided on its under face with a former E, the lower edge of which is advisably fashioned to conform to the curvature of the sole of the last and to the desired line of the blades or fingers. The former E in the preferred construction will be made of a continuous block of rubber and may be made of uniform thickness throughout its IOO length as in Fig. 2, or of varying thickness as represented in Fig. l. This elastic or yielding former while holding the blades or fingers to thedesired curvature allows them to yield upward or away from the bottom of the last sufficiently to enable them to accommodate themselves to the slight variations in the curvature of the latter presented by different styles and sizes of lasts which could not be done it a rigid metallic former were applied to the backs of the blades or fingers. It will be noted upon reference to Fig. 4 that some of the blades or fingers are considerably longer than others and consequently exert a greaterleverage-than the shorter ngers, and to provide for this and to equalize as nearly as possible the action of the fingers the elastic former will be made of' varying thickness throughout its length so as to present a surface which shall be proportionate to the length of the blades or fingers.

From the foregoing it will be seen that no matter what the form of the last lnay be the edges or inner ends of the blades or fingers will present a continuous and unbroken line which insures a firm pressure upon all parts ofthe upper turned down upon the last orinsole. These formers will advisably be made detachable from their carrying bars in order that they may be replaced when worn, or for the purpose of inserting formers of slightly different curvature.

In Fig. 2 the bar carrying the former is made curved so as to permit of the use of a comparatively thin former, while in Fig. 3 instead of using a former having a continuous surface to bear upon the blades or fingers -I employ an elastic former having a series of projections or spurs which are designed to bear upon the separate blades lor fingers.

While in the specification I have referred specifically to rubber as the material from which I desire to make my elastic or yielding former, I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not limit myself to the use of rubber. Rubber compounds or compositions, wood or paper pulp, compressed .sponge or other equivalent elastic or yielding substance may be substituted for the rubber, but not with such good results. So, too, instead of using a rubber or equivalent elastic or yielding block or former, a metallic spring or springs may be used, but not with such good results.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. In a lasting machine jaw thecombination of a stock or body, a series of yielding blades or fingers carried thereby, and adapted to conform to the curvature of the sole of the last and an elastic orryielding former adapted to be secured to the stock and to bear upon the blades or fingers, to hold them in their adjusted positions substantially as set forth.

2. In a lasting machine the combination of' a stock or body, a series of yielding fingers or blades carried by said stock or body, an elastic or yielding former bearing upon the fingers and a bar or support for said former capable of being opened away from the stock or body, substantially as set forth.

3. In a lasting machine jaw the combination of' a stock or body, a series of yielding blades or fingers carried thereby, and adapted to conform to the curvature of the last-bottom and an elastic or yielding former adapted to bear upon the blades or fingers and provided with a continuous bearing edge.

4. In a lasting machinejaw the combination of a stock or body, a series of' yielding blades or fingers of varying lengths carried thereby, and an elastic or yielding former of varying thicknessto bear upon the face of the blades or fingers, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

' THOMAS OBOLGER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES MLLER, CARL BORNGRAEBER. 

